Condor (yacht)

Racing yacht

For other uses, see Condor (disambiguation).

Condor

Condor racing Miami–Nassau in 1983.

Other names| Condor II
Condor 2
Condor of Currabubula
Condor of Emsworth
Nation|  Bermuda
Class| Maxi
Sail no| KB–80
Designer(s)| Ron Holland
Builder| Killian Bushe at Kiwi Boats, UK, Penryn, England
Launched| 1981
Owner(s)| Bob Bell
Racing career
Skippers| Ted Turner
Notable victories| 1983 Sydney–Hobart (l.h.)
1986 Sydney–Hobart (l.h.)
1981 Fastnet Race (l.h.)
1983 Fastnet Race (l.h.)

Condor is a maxi sailing yacht designed for racing and built in 1981 by Killian Bushe at Kiwi Boats U.K., in Penryn Penryn, England. She was registered in Hamilton, Bermuda during her 7-year ocean racing campaign and her sail number is KB-80. She is not to be confused with her predecessor Condor of Bermuda (KB-78) (aka. Heath's Condor-K-707), also owned and campaigned by Bob Bell.

> Condor was "probably the most famous Maxi ever, winning every major ocean racing event Twice" according to her present owners, Prosail, the overnight adventure charter outfit in Australia's Whitsundays on the Great Barrier Reef.[1]

## Construction and materials

[edit]

Condor was revolutionary both for having the largest (tallest) single spar mast in the world (at the time of her launch) and for being the largest of all the IOR Maxi fleet at that time. (Ongoing IOR rule changes allowed each new yacht to be slightly bigger than ones built under previous versions of the rating rules).

The boat was constructed using kevlar and composite structures, with an Alloy space frame inside. She was the second yacht of this type to be built where the hull itself could support the enormous loads generated by the huge mast and rig.

Unlike her predecessor, Condor of Bermuda, which was built of wood yet had (the world's first) carbon fibre rig, Condor's mast was aluminium. It was about 18% taller than her 'sistership's' mast due to the additional loading permitted by the space frame. An 8 cylinder 8LXB Gardner diesel engine was installed, turning a 42 inch folding propeller, despite her hull being only 3 feet longer overall.

Both Condor and Condor of Bermuda were eventually installed with Gardner 8LXB reserve engines, due to their reliability, and overall mass, which was a key consideration in IOR ratings at the time. In 1993, the Gardener was replaced with a Perkins 6354 diesel. In 2007 she was fitted with a smaller Yanmar 4LHA which was replaced again in 2017 with the same model. Today she runs a 26" three bladed Hydralign feathering propeller.

Condor was designed by New Zealand boat designer Ron Holland.

## History

[edit]

Condor was a maxi yacht campaigning on the IOR Maxi Circuit from 1981 to approximately 1987.

In 1987, she was sold to Australian Grazier Tony Paola, where she continued to race for a time under the name Condor of Currabubula until she was retired from racing, and now resides in Airlie Beach, on the Great Barrier Reef, chartering for overnight sailing adventures with several of her contemporaries for her present owners, ProSail.

## Current location

[edit]

Airlie Beach, Australia Available for charter by present owners [url=https://prosail.com.au/].

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "ProSail Whitsundays". Prosail.com.au. 1 April 2010. Archived from the original on 12 August 2010. Retrieved 7 September 2010.

* v
* t
* e

Fastnet Race winning yachts (line honours)

* 1925: Jolie Brise
* 1926: Hallowe'en
* 1927: La Goleta
* 1928: Niña
* 1929: Jolie Brise
* 1930: Jolie Brise
* 1931: Patience
* 1935: Kismet III
* 1937: Bloodhound
* 1939: Nordwind
* 1947: Latifa
* 1949: Latifa
* 1953: Bloodhound
* 1955: Mare Nostrum
* 1965: Gitana IV
* 1971: American Eagle
* 1979: Condor of Bermuda
* 1981: Condor
* 1983: Condor
* 1985: Nirvana
* 1989: Steinlager 2
* 1993: Galicia '93 Pescanova
* 1995: Nicorette
* 1997: BIL
* 1999: RF Yachting
* 2001: Stealth
* 2003: Alfa Romeo I
* 2005: Maximus
* 2007: ICAP Leopard
* 2009: ICAP Leopard
* 2011: Banque Populaire V
* 2013: Spindrift 2
* 2015: Spindrift 2

* v
* t
* e

Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race winning yachts (line honours)

* 1945: Rani
* 1946: Morna
* 1947: Morna
* 1948: Morna
* 1949: Waltzing Matilda
* 1950: Margaret Rintoul
* 1951: Margaret Rintoul
* 1952: Nocturne
* 1953: Solveig IV
* 1954: Kurrewa IV
* 1955: Even
* 1956: Kurrewa IV
* 1957: Kurrewa IV
* 1958: Solo
* 1959: Solo
* 1960: Kurrewa IV
* 1961: Astor
* 1962: Ondine
* 1963: Astor
* 1964: Astor
* 1965: Stormvogel
* 1966: Fidelis
* 1967: Pen Duick III
* 1968: Ondine II
* 1969: Crusade
* 1970: Buccaneer
* 1971: Kialoa II
* 1972: American Eagle
* 1973: Helsal
* 1974: Ondine III
* 1975: Kialoa III
* 1976: Ballyhoo
* 1977: Kialoa III
* 1978: Apollo
* 1979: Bumblebee IV
* 1980: New Zealand
* 1981: Vengeance
* 1982: Condor of Bermuda
* 1983: Condor
* 1984: New Zealand
* 1985: Apollo
* 1986: Condor
* 1987: Sovereign
* 1988: Ragamuffin
* 1989: Drumbeat
* 1990: Ragamuffin
* 1991: Brindabella
* 1992: NZ Endeavour
* 1993: Ninety Seven
* 1994: Tasmania
* 1995: Sayonara
* 1996: Morning Glory
* 1997: Brindabella
* 1998: Sayonara
* 1999: Nokia
* 2000: Nicorette II
* 2001: Assa Abloy
* 2002: Alfa Romeo I
* 2003: Skandia
* 2004: Nicorette III
* 2005: Wild Oats XI
* 2006: Wild Oats XI
* 2007: Wild Oats XI
* 2008: Wild Oats XI
* 2009: Alfa Romeo II
* 2010: Wild Oats XI
* 2011: Investec Loyal
* 2012: Wild Oats XI
* 2013: Wild Oats XI
* 2014: Wild Oats XI
* 2015: Comanche
* 2016: Perpetual Loyal
* 2017: Comanche
* 2018: Wild Oats XI
* 2019: Comanche
* 2021: Black Jack
* 2022: Comanche
* 2023: LawConnect
* 2024: LawConnect

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